This invention relates in general to air treating devices and, in particular, to ductless air treating devices. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular use which is shown and described, this invention relates to a ductless air treating device having replaceable air treating and lighting elements, and a vaneless diffuser fan which is the subject of the present inventor's co-pending application, Serial No. 057,592, entitled "Mixed Flow Fan with Rotating Vaneless Diffuser", filed concurrently herewith.
Recreation rooms and cooking areas generally are well illuminated and well ventilated. It is a common practice to install hoods in the vicinity of and generally directly over cooking ranges. Many such hoods are also vented either through the roof or through the wall of the building. Others incorporate a charcoal filtering element to remove grease and cooking odors for the air before returning it to the kitchen. In many instances it is also desirable to illuminate and ventilate enclosed areas such as bathrooms, closets, and passenger cars. For example, many bathrooms and powder rooms have ceiling mounted blowers or fan units, which are vented to the roof to remove steam and provide fresh air circulation.
The advent of more modern building codes has eliminated the requirement for external venting of fans, blowers and the like. Therefore, a need has arisen for a ductless air treating unit which will satisfy these codes. This invention addresses these and other problems by combining the lighting and air treating features into a simple, versatile, readily installable unit.
The ductless air treating unit disclosed herein offers several economic advantages. First, it is generally less expensive to provide a single air treating unit which performs all of the multiple illuminating and air treating functions than it is to provide separate units performing the functions individually. A second economic advantage is realized by eliminating the costs of electrical wiring for multiple separate units, nor is there any expense for venting duct installation. The device may be installed in any existing electrical junction box, or, alternatively, it may be inserted into an existing standard threaded, bayonet type or wedge type electrical socket. Thirdly, the lighting and other internal elements of the present invention are cooled by the air passing therethrough which extends the functional lifetime of these elements. This cooling feature is particularly significant in that present Underwriter Laboratory standards require that the temperature within the junction box be less than 60.degree. C. A lighting unit containing two standard 60 watt incandescent bulbs will not pass this test. This invention brings the temperature within the air treating device within acceptable standards.
The ductless air treating device of the invention further eliminates a condition known as air stratification. Normally, the colder air is near the floor, while the hotter air is stratified near the ceiling of the room. The device, herein disclosed, if ceiling mounted, recirculates the air within the room and more evenly distributes the heat between the floor and the ceiling. The result is a reduction in the energy required to head the room in the winter and to cool it in the summer, which translates into a monetary savings to the user.
The versatile air treating features of the present invention offer several additional advantages over prior art devices. By inserting various materials in the air flow path, the unit may be modified to perform a multiplicity of functions. Air may be deodorized by drawing it through a deodorizing material, or if a filtering material is used, activated charcoal for example, the air will also be purified Alternatively, an ionizer or ozonizer may be inserted which kills germs borne in the air. Still another alternative is to insert a disinfectant media or an insecticide media, which allows the air treating device of the invention to perform still other functions.
Another problem overcome by this invention involves the theft of this type of unit from the job site during building construction. This problem is overcome by installing only the mounting plate of the invention during construction. After completion the entire unit may attach to the mounting plates or, alternatively, to a standard threaded socket.
Thus, the device of the invention provides an enconomical and compact unit which may selectively operate a ventilating fan or a illuminator, alone or simultaneously, with provision to additionally incorporate a deodorizing element.